Reggie Carrillo is an environmental activist who lives in the Southwestern U.S. city of Phoenix, Arizona. He recently said that climate change affects the temperatures of city neighborhoods. He wants to share his knowledge with his neighbors to cool his community.
In Phoenix, some neighborhoods do not have many trees and open spaces. Some reports say temperatures are as much as 7℃ higher than in other areas of Phoenix with more trees. Those parts of the city were built with mostly roads and buildings but not much green space. Summer temperatures in Phoenix can be dangerous. One day last summer, the high was over 46℃. In the last year, the heat caused over 300 deaths.
Carrillo has learned about the city’s history by joining the Urban Heat Leadership Academy that is run by groups trying to protect natural resources. They are working to add green space to parts of Phoenix that have not received attention. The academy holds classes through videos on Saturday mornings. It helps teach people like Carrillo about why their living areas are so hot. It also teaches them how to organize activities that will help cool things down. They also discuss air and water quality.
Carrillo is working with others who went to the Urban Heat Leadership Academy. They want to build a walking area that will be known as a “cool corridor”, a place that has local plants that can help reduce temperatures. He is also organizing events to talk to people and to learn what they want.
Curtis Merritt is planting trees in another part of Phoenix. He is another graduate of the academy, like Carrillo. Merritt said many people have trouble getting enough food each day. So he is planting fruit trees—apples, and oranges. “What’s great about this project is that I not only get to help cool down my neighborhood by teaching...,” said Merritt. “Someday with those trees I’ll be able to feed my neighbors, too.”
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